the village rector-第32章

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disasters　of　that　period；　became　involved　by　no　fault　of　his　own。　He
could　not　endure　the　thought　of　bankruptcy；　nor　that　of　losing　a
fortune　of　three　millions　acquired　by　forty　years　of　incessant　toil。
The　moral　malady　which　resulted　from　this　anguish　of　mind　aggravated
the　inflammatory　disease　always　ready　to　break　forth　in　his　blood。　He
took　to　his　bed。　Since　her　confinement　Veronique's　regard　for　her
husband　had　developed；　and　had　overthrown　all　the　hopes　of　her
admirer；　Monsieur　de　Grandville。　She　strove　to　save　her　husband's　life
by　unremitting　care；　with　no　result　but　that　of　prolonging　for　a　few
months　the　poor　man's　tortures；　but　the　respite　was　very　useful　to
Grossetete；　who；　foreseeing　the　end　of　his　former　clerk　and　partner；
obtained　from　him　all　the　information　necessary　for　the　prompt
liquidation　of　the　assets。

Graslin　died　in　April；　1831；　and　the　widow's　grief　yielded　only　to
Christian　resignation。　Veronique's　first　words；　when　the　condition　of
Monsieur　Graslin's　affairs　were　made　known　to　her；　were　that　she
abandoned　her　own　fortune　to　pay　the　creditors；　but　it　was　found　that
Graslin's　own　property　was　more　than　sufficient。　Two　months　later；　the
liquidation；　of　which　Grossetete　took　charge；　left　to　Madame　Graslin
the　estate　of　Montegnac　and　six　hundred　thousand　francs；　her　whole
personal　fortune。　The　son's　name　remained　untainted；　for　Graslin　had
injured　no　one's　property；　not　even　that　of　his　wife。　Francis　Graslin；
the　son；　received　about　one　hundred　thousand　francs。

Monsieur　de　Grandville；　to　whom　Veronique's　grandeur　of　soul　and　noble
qualities　were　well　known；　made　her　an　offer　of　marriage；　but；　to　the
surprise　of　all　Limoges；　Madame　Graslin　declined；　under　pretext　that
the　Church　discouraged　second　marriages。　Grossetete；　a　man　of　strong
common…sense　and　sure　grasp　of　a　situation；　advised　Veronique　to
invest　her　property　and　what　remained　of　Monsieur　Graslin's　in　the
Funds；　and　he　made　the　investment　himself　in　one　of　the　government
securities　which　offered　special　advantages　at　that　time；　namely；　the
Three…per…cents；　which　were　then　quoted　at　fifty。　The　child　Francis
received；　therefore；　six　thousand　francs　a　year；　and　his　mother　forty
thousand。　Veronique's　fortune　was　still　the　largest　in　the　department。

When　these　affairs　were　all　settled；　Madame　Graslin　announced　her
intention　of　leaving　Limoges　and　taking　up　her　residence　at　Montegnac；
to　be　near　Monsieur　Bonnet。　She　sent　for　the　rector　to　consult　about
the　enterprise　he　was　so　anxious　to　carry　on　at　Montegnac；　in　which
she　desired　to　take　part。　But　he　endeavored　unselfishly　to　dissuade
her；　telling　her　that　her　place　was　in　the　world　and　in　society。

〃I　was　born　of　the　people　and　I　wish　to　return　to　the　people；〃　she
replied。　On　which　the　rector；　full　of　love　for　his　village；　said　no
more　against　Madame　Graslin's　apparent　vocation；　and　the　less　because
she　had　actually　put　it　out　of　her　power　to　continue　in　Limoges；
having　sold　the　hotel　Graslin　to　Grossetete；　who；　to　cover　a　sum　that
was　due　to　him；　took　it　at　its　proper　valuation。

The　day　of　her　departure；　toward　the　end　of　August；　1831；　Madame
Graslin's　numerous　friends　accompanied　her　some　distance　out　of　the
town。　A　few　went　as　far　as　the　first　relay。　Veronique　was　in　an　open
carriage　with　her　mother。　The　Abbe　Dutheil　（just　appointed　to　a
bishopric）　occupied　the　front　seat　of　the　carriage　with　old
Grossetete。　As　they　passed　through　the　place　d'Aine；　Veronique　showed
signs　of　a　sudden　shock；　her　face　contracted　so　that　the　play　of　the
muscles　could　be　seen；　she　clasped　her　infant　to　her　breast　with　a
convulsive　motion；　which　old　Madame　Sauviat　concealed　by　instantly
taking　the　child；　for　she　seemed　to　be　on　the　watch　for　her　daughter's
agitation。　Chance　willed　that　Madame　Graslin　should　pass　through　the
square　in　which　stood　the　house　she　had　formerly　occupied　with　her
father　and　mother　in　her　girlish　days；　she　grasped　her　mother's　hand
while　great　tears　fell　from　her　eyes　and　rolled　down　her　cheeks。

After　leaving　Limoges　she　turned　and　looked　back；　seeming　to　feel　an
emotion　of　happiness　which　was　noticed　by　all　her　friends。　When
Monsieur　de　Grandville；　then　a　young　man　of　twenty…five；　whom　she
declined　to　take　as　a　husband；　kissed　her　hand　with　an　earnest
expression　of　regret；　the　new　bishop　noticed　the　strange　manner　in
which　the　black　pupil　of　Veronique's　eyes　suddenly　spread　over　the
blue　of　the　iris；　reducing　it　to　a　narrow　circle。　The　eye　betrayed
unmistakably　some　violent　inward　emotion。

〃I　shall　never　see　him　again；〃　she　whispered　to　her　mother；　who
received　this　confidence　without　betraying　the　slightest　feeling　in
her　old　face。

Madame　Graslin　was　at　that　instant　under　the　observation　of
Grossetete；　who　was　directly　in　front　of　her；　but；　in　spite　of　his
shrewdness；　the　old　banker　did　not　detect　the　hatred　which　Veronique
felt　for　the　magistrate；　whom　she　nevertheless　received　at　her　house。
But　churchmen　have　far　more　perception　than　other　men；　and　Monsieur
Dutheil　suddenly　startled　Veronique　with　a　priestly　glance。

〃Do　you　regret　nothing　in　Limoges？〃　he　asked　her。

〃Nothing；　now　that　you　are　leaving　it；　and　monsieur；〃　she　added；
smiling　at　Grossetete；　who　was　bidding　her　adieu；　〃will　seldom　be
there。〃

The　bishop　accompanied　Madame　Graslin　as　far　as　Montegnac。

〃I　ought　to　walk　this　road　in　sackcloth　and　ashes；〃　she　said　in　her
mother's　ear　as　they　went　on　foot　up　the　steep　slope　of　Saint…Leonard。

The　old　woman　put　her　finger　on　her　lips　and　glanced　at　the　bishop；
who　was　looking　at　the　child　with　terrible　attention。　This　gesture；
and　the　luminous　look　in　the　prelate's　eyes；　sent　a　shudder　through
Veronique's　body。　At　the　aspect　of　the　vast　plains　stretching　their
gray　expanse　before　Montegnac　the　fire　died　out　of　her　eyes；　and　an
infinite　sadness　overcame　her。　Presently　she　saw　the　village　rector
coming　to　meet　her；　and　together　they　returned　to　the　carriage。

〃There　is　your　domain；　madame；〃　said　Monsieur　Bonnet；　extending　his
hand　toward　the　barren　plain。

A　few　moments　more；　and　the　village　of　Montegnac；　with　its　hill；　on
which　the　newly　erected　buildings　struck　the　eye；　came　in　sight；
gilded　by　the　setting　sun；　and　full　of　the　poesy　born　of　the　contrast
between　the　beautiful　spot　and　the　surrounding　barrenness；　in　which　it
lay　like　an　oasis　in　the　desert。　Madame　Graslin's　eyes　filled　suddenly
with　tears。　The　rector　called　her　attention　to　a　broad　white　line　like
a　gash　on　the　mountain　side。

〃See　what　my　parishioners　have　done　to　testify　their　gratitude　to　the
lady　of　the　manor；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　the　line；　which　was　really　a
road；　〃we　can　now　drive　up　to　the　chateau。　This　piece　of　road　has　been
made　by　them　without　costing　you　a　penny；　and　two　months　hence　we
shall　plant　it　with　trees。　Monseigneur　will　understand　what　trouble
and　care　and　devotion　were　needed　to　accomplish　such　a　change。〃

〃Is　it　possible　they　have　done　that？〃　said　the　bishop。

〃Without　accepting　any　payment　for　their　work；　Monseigneur。　The
poorest　put　their　hands　into　it；　knowing　that　it　would　bring　a　mother
among　them。〃

At　the　foot　of　the　hill　the　travellers　saw　the　whole　population　of　the
neighborhood；　who　were　lighting　fire…boxes　and　discharging　a　few　guns；
then　two　of　the　prettiest　of　the　village　girls；　dressed　in　white；　came
forward　to　offer　Madame　Graslin　flowers　and　fruit。

〃To　be　thus　received　in　this　village！〃　she　exclaimed；　grasping　the
rector's　hand　as　if　she　stood　on　the　brink　of　a　precipice。

The　crowd　accompanied　the　carriage　to　the　iron　gates　of　the　avenue。
From　there　Madame　Graslin　could　see　her　chateau；　of　which　as　yet　she
had　only　caught　glimpses；　and　she　was　thunderstruck　at　the
magnificence　of　the　building。　Stone　is　rare　in　those　parts；　the
granite　of　the　mountains　being　difficult　to　quarry。　The　architect
employed　by　Graslin　to　restore　the　house　had　used　brick　as　the　chief
substance　of　this　vast　construction。　This　was　rendered　less　costly　by
the　fact　that　the　forest　of　Montegnac　furnished　all　the　necessary　wood
and　clay　for　its　fabrication。　The　framework　of　wood　and　the　stone　for
the　foundations　also　came　from　the　forest；　otherwise　the　cost　of　the